Public Theater's One Thrilling Combination Gala Will Honor Marvin Hamlisch

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28 Apr 2014

Marvin Hamlisch

Photo by Len Prince

The Public Theater will celebrate the life and work of late composer Marvin Hamlisch during One Thrilling Combination, a gala event to be held June 23 at the Delacorte Theater.

Tony Award winner Ted Sperling (The Light in the Piazza, See What I Wanna See) will direct the gala performance, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of A Chorus Line. The musical premiered at the Public in 1975 prior to its Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway run.

"Marvin Hamlisch was one of the great spirits of American music, and A Chorus Line was a show that changed everything about how musicals were made," Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis said in a statement. "It also created The Public Theater we cherish today. This gala will honor that amazing show and thank Marvin Hamlisch for his extraordinary gifts to us all."

In addition to A Chorus Line, the gala performance will offer selections of music from throughout Hamlisch's career. The multi-award winner, whose numerous compositions included They're Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl, Sweet Smell of Success, "The Way We Were," and more, died Aug. 6, 2012, at the age of 68.

Casting for the gala performance has not been announced. Renée Beaumont and Lizanne Rosenstein serve as gala co-chairs.

The gala will begin with cocktails at 5 PM followed by dinner in Central Park. The performance begins at 8 PM and will be followed by a dessert reception under the stars.